Pups & The Scorned Crush
by Elias Vincent
Summary: Ryder's classmate Faith Myerson confesses her crush on him in front of the entire school but only leaves her heartbroken when he rejects her. Refusing to let Ryder slip away Faith begins doing everything she can think of to make him fall in love with her. What will she do & will her plan to win over Ryder succeed?
1. Chapter 1

**PUPS & THE SCORNED CRUSH **

**I DON'T OWN PAW PATROL ONLY MY OC'S**

It was a nice & sunny Monday afternoon. Lunch had just begun at Adventure Bay Elementary & all the students were heading to the cafeteria to eat. Angel, Elias & Kelly walked through the halls towards the cafeteria while engaging in idle conversation.

"How has your day been so far Kelly?" asked Elias in a curious voice.

"It's been good. What about you?" asked Kelly with a curious smile.

"My day's been good. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened" said Elias as he smiled.

"What do you think we'll be having for lunch today?" asked Angel in an eager tone.

"We'll find out once we get to the cafeteria. I hope it's something good" said Kelly as she licked her lips in excitement.

"I bet it is" said Angel as she, Elias & Kelly continued walking to the cafeteria. Along the way they walked past a girl with blonde curly hair, tan skin & brown eyes wearing a bright green dress & red flat sole shoes. Her name was Faith Myerson. She was a classmate of Elias, Kelly & their friends who had a huge crush on Ryder. Whenever she saw, heard about or even thought of him she felt her insides doing acrobatics & her heart beating out of her chest. For a long time, she wished to tell Ryder how she truly felt & ultimately decided that lunch was the perfect opportunity to do so.

" _I'm so excited. I can't wait to tell Ryder how I truly feel. If he gives me a kiss, I'll be the happiest girl in school. Soon we'll be 1 of the cutest couples in school"_ thought Faith as she smiled excitedly & walked to the cafeteria. All the students were sitting at their respective tables with their friends eating & talking amongst each other. Faith sat at a table near where Ryder & his friends were sitting. She planned to confess her crush on Ryder as soon as she finished eating.

" _I can't wait for the moment I tell Ryder that I love him. He'll be swept off his feet. His beautiful brown eyes are just waiting for me to look deep into them. Never have I felt so in love before. Today's going to be the best day of my life"_ thought Faith as she eagerly gobbled down her food. Every passing moment made her feel even more excited. Once she finished eating she got up & walked over to where Ryder sat & cleared her throat before speaking up.

"Hi Ryder. How are you?" asked Faith in a sweet voice.

"I'm feeling fantastic Faith. How are you today?" asked Ryder with a warm smile.

"I feel good. I have something I need to tell you" said Faith as she smiled excitedly.

"What is it?" asked Ryder in a curious voice.

"1ST I'd like you to stand up. It'll make what I have to say a lot more meaningful" said Faith.

Ryder raised an eyebrow in curiosity. He had no idea what Faith wanted to tell him. Nonetheless he still got to his feet & faced Faith who smiled excitedly. She then proceeded to address the entire school.

"Attention everyone. I have an announcement to make" said Faith as everyone turned to look at her & Ryder. She took hold of Ryder's hands & took a deep breath as she prepared to make her confession.

"Ryder I've been meaning to tell you this for a very long time & today I figured I'd finally come clean. The moment I 1ST saw you I knew you were the person I'd end up calling my soulmate. Your eyes are beautiful & deep as the ocean, your smile lights up my face, your hair gives you a cool look that anyone would admire & your dedication to helping everyone in Adventure Bay is heart-warming. I love you Ryder. No other boy could ever make me feel the way that you do. I hope that we can be together forever" said Faith as she smiled enthusiastically. Everyone was touched by Faith's confession. They all thought it was beautiful. Ryder was surprised. He never knew that Faith felt that way about him. He gulped nervously as he looked Faith in the eyes & told her how he felt.

"That's very sweet of you to say Faith. I never knew you felt that way about me. Unfortunately, I only think of you as a friend. I'm sorry. You're a lovely girl but I just don't see you as anything more than a friend. Thanks for telling me how you felt. That took a lot of courage" said Ryder in a nervous voice. Everyone gasped. They all began to feel sorry for Faith seeing as how she had just been rejected. Faith began to tear up as she shook in shock. She felt like someone had just ripped her heart out & shredded it into tiny little pieces.

"Why would you do that to me? I wanted to give you my heart & this is what I get? I feel like an idiot right now because of you. Do you have any idea how embarrassed, humiliated & hurt I feel right now? Thanks for nothing" said Faith as she burst into tears & ran out of the cafeteria. Ryder stood still feeling confused & guilty. He didn't mean to make Faith look like a fool but at the same time he knew that he'd feel a lot worse by lying to her about how he felt. Ryder sat down as he began to tear up.

"I feel awful. I didn't mean to upset Faith. What do I do? This is all so confusing" said Ryder as tears ran down his face.

"It'll be OK Ryder. I think Faith is just in shock because she wasn't expecting you to reject her. I'm sure she'll come to accept it eventually" said Elias as he gave Ryder a hug. Seeing his best friend feeling so torn over Faith's confession was heartbreaking but he wasn't sure what he could do or say to fix the mess. The others also consoled Ryder telling him that it wasn't his fault & that he'd be fine. Meanwhile Faith had run into the restrooms where she locked herself in a stall & cried. All she wanted was for Ryder to tell her that he loved her but instead she got rejected.

" _I can't believe this happened. Ryder ruined what was supposed to be a beautiful moment. I'm not going to let him get away that easily. 1 way or another I'll make him change his mind & fall in love with me. I won't stop until he's mine"_ thought Faith as she began thinking of how to get Ryder to fall in love with her. Throughout the rest of the school day there was a lot of awkwardness in the air. Nobody was sure what to do or say that'd make the situation better. After school finished everyone went about the afternoon as usual. Angel, Elias & Kelly headed to the Lookout to hang out with Ryder & the pups. As they walked there they couldn't help but discuss the drama from lunch.

"What an awkward afternoon it's been. I feel bad for both Faith & Ryder. I can't imagine the sorrow they're feeling right now" said Angel in a sympathetic voice.

"Me either. I hope they'll be OK" said Elias with uncertainty in his voice.

"Me too. Right now, the best thing we can do is support Ryder & make sure he knows that he didn't do anything wrong. It'd be a lot worse if he led Faith on by lying about his feelings. That'd only embarrass her even more" said Kelly.

"Indeed. How long do you think it'll be before this all blows over?" asked Elias in an uncertain tone.

"I don't know. I'd estimate it'd take between a few days to a few weeks at least" said Angel.

"Just as long as it doesn't cause the situation to escalate I'd say that they'll eventually put this incident behind them & mend any damage to the bond they had" said Elias in a hopeful manner.

"Maybe. Only time will tell if that's the case" said Kelly as Angel, Elias & herself kept walking. Soon they arrived at the Lookout. The pups were out the front looking nervous, but Ryder was nowhere to be seen. Angel, Elias & Kelly knew that Ryder had told the pups about what had happened at school.

"Hey guys. Where's Ryder?" asked Angel as she tilted her head in confusion.

"He's in his room. This whole situation regarding Faith's crush has overwhelmed him" said Chase as he sighed sadly.

"I had a feeling that'd happen" said Elias in a concerned voice.

"It wouldn't surprise me if Faith felt the same way. I bet she's at home feeling extremely heartbroken" said Marshall as he whimpered.

"More than likely. Maybe we can try to help Ryder feel better" said Kelly with hope in her voice.

"How can we do that?" asked Rocky in an uncertain manner.

"Perhaps we can treat Ryder to some ice cream. That might make him feel better" said Angel.

"Maybe. Food always makes me feel better" said Rubble as he licked his lips.

"I just hope Ryder knows that he's not a bad person for rejecting Faith & that he shouldn't be so hard on himself over it" said Elias.

"We should talk to him. If we don't he'll only feel worse" said Skye in a nervous manner.

"Good thinking. He'll need all the support he can get" said Kelly in a confident tone.

"Let's cheer Ryder up & make him happy again" said Zuma as he smiled & wagged his tail excitedly. Everyone then went inside the Lookout & walked over to Ryder's room. Ryder was lying on his bed curled up feeling sad. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened at lunch.

" _Why can't I stop feeling bad about rejecting Faith? It's so confusing. If only this awkwardness could go away. I'd do anything to forget about it"_ thought Ryder as he wiped away his tears. He then heard knocking on his door.

"Who is it?" asked Ryder.

"It's just us Ryder. Can we come in?" asked Elias in a polite voice.

"No. I don't want you to see me like this" said Ryder in a shaky tone.

"Ryder it's not your fault. If you don't feel the same way that Faith does about you it's OK. You'd feel a lot worse if you lied to her & led her on" said Kelly as she tried to reassure Ryder that he hadn't done anything wrong.

"The fact that everyone in school saw what happened is embarrassing. I can't imagine how Faith is feeling right now" said Ryder as he sat up & sighed sadly.

"I'm sure she'll eventually accept that you're not into her. It might take a bit of time, but everything will work out" said Elias in a soothing manner.

"How can you be sure? There's no way of knowing what Faith will do or say next" said Ryder with uncertainty in his voice.

"Don't worry about it. Let's go out & get some ice cream. That'll help cheer you up" said Kelly as she smiled hopefully. Ryder sat quietly for a few moments considering the offer. Ultimately, he decided that getting some ice cream was better than lying in bed feeling sorry for himself. After getting off his bed Ryder wiped the tears off his face & opened the door to his room. Angel, Elias, Kelly & the pups gave Ryder warm smiles. They were glad he decided to join them for some ice cream.

"You guys are the best. Thanks for sticking by me" said Ryder as he gave everyone a hug.

"You're welcome. We're always here for you when you need us" said Elias in a reassuring voice.

"Let's go. I can hear the ice cream calling us" said Kelly as everyone left the Lookout & headed to the ice cream shop. As soon as they arrived they picked out the flavours they wished to have. Angel chose mint choc chip, Elias chose caramel toffee, Kelly chose strawberry, Ryder chose chocolate, Chase chose boysenberry, Marshall chose vanilla, Rocky chose rainbow, Rubble chose cookies & cream, Skye chose banana & Zuma chose rum & raisin. After getting their ice cream everyone went to Adventure Beach & sat on the sand while enjoying their frozen treats. The ice cream had a creamy smooth texture & tasted nice & sweet. Everyone happily devoured their ice cream before laying down & soaking up some rays. The sand felt nice & warm which made everyone feel cosy as if they were lying in bed. For the rest of the afternoon they stayed on Adventure Beach enjoying the nice weather. Soon it was time to head home.

"This afternoon was fantastic. It helped me forget about Faith. Thanks for cheering me up guys" said Ryder as he smiled warmly at everyone.

"You're welcome. I'm glad we made you feel better" said Elias as he gave Ryder a hug.

"We better get home. See you tomorrow" said Kelly as Angel, Elias & herself left to go home. Ryder & the pups returned to the Lookout to get dinner sorted. Meanwhile Faith was at home curled up in bed. Ever since she got home from school she'd been in her room. That was where she stayed for the rest of the day. All she could think about was how humiliated she felt over being rejected.

" _Ryder will fall in love with me 1 way or another. I know that we're meant to be. I don't care what I must do to win him over. Nothing will stop me from becoming his soulmate. If any other girl dares to put their moves on him, I'll gouge their eyes out. Ryder's mine. Nobody else can have him"_ thought Faith as she drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Guilt Tripping

The next morning as school began Ryder walked to his locker to gather his stuff for 1ST period. Although he still felt bad about making Faith feel embarrassed over publicly rejecting her he was feeling a lot better than the previous afternoon.

" _I feel a lot better today. Hopefully Faith does too. She might still be a bit upset over what happened but I'm sure that she's going to be fine"_ thought Ryder as he opened his locker & grabbed his stuff. Faith soon appeared & began walking towards him. She planned out exactly how to win Ryder's heart.

" _My plan will be completely foolproof. There's no way Ryder won't be mine after I clear the air with him. I can already picture us together. What a lovely image that'll be. Soon everyone will be talking about how we're the hottest couple in school next to Elias & Kelly. We'll be the talk of the town"_ thought Faith as she smiled confidently while walking towards Ryder. She reached him as soon as he finished getting his stuff for 1ST period.

"Hi Ryder. How are you this morning?" asked Faith in a polite voice.

"I'm feeling good. How are you Faith?" asked Ryder with uncertainty in his voice.

"I feel wonderful. Much better than yesterday" said Faith in a cheerful tone.

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm sorry for making you feel embarrassed yesterday. I wasn't expecting you to publicly announce your crush on me. All I hope for is that we can still be friends" said Ryder as he smiled.

"Don't worry cutie I'm not losing sleep over what happened. Can we at least try & make it work? I'm sure we'd be a great couple" said Faith in a hopeful manner.

"Sorry Faith. I don't have any romantic feelings for you. It's not going to work" said Ryder in a nervous voice.

"That's OK. I'll just go & cry in the bathrooms. See you later" said Faith as she walked away. Ryder was confused by what Faith said. He didn't know what she meant.

" _What did Faith mean by "I'll go cry in the bathrooms"? Is she serious or it an attempt to guilt trip me? How weird. I'm sure it's nothing. I better get to class. I don't want to be late"_ thought Ryder as he headed to class. As he arrived he met up with Angel, Elias & Kelly.

"Hi Ryder. How are you this morning?" asked Angel as she smiled warmly at Ryder.

"I'm feeling better than yesterday. How do you guys feel?" asked Ryder as he returned the smile.

"We all feel great. I'm glad you feel better" said Elias as he gave Ryder a hug.

"Me too. Anyways something weird just happened. Faith approached me at my locker & asked if we could try to make a relationship between us work. When I told her that it wouldn't she said something about going to cry in the bathrooms. I don't know what she meant by that. Do you guys have any suggestions?" asked Ryder as he tilted his head in confusion.

"I think she's trying to guilt trip you. She wants you to feel bad for her to the point that you start dating her out of pity. Don't fall for it" said Kelly in an annoyed voice.

"I had a feeling that was the case. Thanks for the help" said Ryder.

"You're welcome. As you always say "Whenever you're in trouble just yelp for help"" said Elias as he smiled. Ryder chuckled. He was glad that he had such supportive friends looking out for him. Soon Miss Spearwood arrived & let everyone in class. As soon as they all took their seats Miss Spearwood addressed the class.

"Good morning everyone. For today's lesson I'd like you all to write down what I put on the board. You'll then have the whole lesson to memorise it all before I test you on how much you remembered" said Miss Spearwood as she began writing on the board. Everyone began copying down everything that she wrote. Faith grabbed a loose sheet of paper on which she wrote a note to Ryder before folding it into a paper plane & throwing it to Ryder when Miss Spearwood wasn't looking. The paper plane landed right on top of Ryder's book. As soon as he noticed it he unfolded it & read the note.

 _Hi Ryder_

 _I don't know what it is that you don't see in me but I'm sorry for not being what you want. I wish I could become your perfect girl. I'm sure that'd win your heart. I'd do anything to be with you. It'd be such a shame if you broke my heart even more. I know how much it hurts you to do that. If you make me your girl I promise you won't regret it._

 _Love, Faith._

Ryder rolled his eyes in frustration before scrunching up the note & throwing it in the bin. It was evident that Faith was trying to guilt trip him.

" _I swear Faith doesn't get it. I've already made it clear that I'm not interested in her. No matter how many times she tries to guilt trip me it's not going to work. I wish she'd leave me alone"_ thought Ryder as he continued to do his work. Throughout the entire lesson Faith just stared at Ryder. She was desperate to become his girlfriend.

" _Ryder looks so cute when he's doing his work. He looks cute doing anything. If he knew the lengths I'd go to be his girl he'd be flattered. Sooner or later we'll be together as 1"_ thought Faith as she continued staring at Ryder. Soon enough it was time for 2ND period. Ryder left the room, headed to his locker & grabbed what he needed before rushing to his next class. He wanted to be as far away from Faith as possible.

" _I'm not sure how I'm going to get Faith off my back. She's not going to give up that easily. I refuse to be guilt tripped into dating her. She can try all she wants but I'm not changing my mind"_ thought Ryder as he arrived at class. Throughout the entire lesson he tried to focus on his work, but it was hard not to think about how to put a stop to Faith's antics. Once recess rolled around Ryder went out to the playground & played tetherball with Elias & Kelly. As they hit the ball around they discussed how to deal with Faith.

"Faith is driving me crazy. It's clear to me that she's the kind of girl who doesn't take no for an answer" said Ryder as he hit the ball in an anti-clockwise direction.

"I thought Burton & Melrose were troublesome but she's just as bad. I hope she doesn't do anything crazy like those 2 did" said Elias as he hit the ball in a clockwise direction.

"Me too. How can we get Faith to back off?" asked Ryder as he hit the ball again.

"Perhaps we could guilt trip her back. That might throw her off" said Kelly as she hit the ball in alternating directions.

"I don't know about that. What if she ups the ante with more guilt tripping?" asked Ryder.

"We'll do the same until she caves in. Guilt tripping is a 2-way street. She'll learn that the hard way" said Elias.

"Agreed. Sooner or later she'll have to accept the fact that Ryder's not interested in her" said Kelly as Faith walked over. She wasn't giving up on Ryder anytime soon.

"Hi Ryder. Can you tell me what I need to change to be your ideal girl?" asked Faith in a sweet voice.

"Go away Faith. Even if you became my "Ideal girl" I still wouldn't date you" said Ryder in a frustrated voice.

"Don't be like that cutie. I'm trying to make things work" said Faith.

"No means no Faith. The sooner you understand that the better" said Elias as he glared harshly at Faith.

"I'm telling you me & Ryder are soulmates. We're meant to be" said Faith.

"No, you're not. If you were Ryder would've hooked up with you. Leave us alone" said Kelly as she growled in anger. Faith sighed sadly.

"Fine. I'll go play something else. I hope I don't hurt myself. It'd be a shame if something happened to me that required medical attention" said Faith as she walked off. Elias, Kelly & Ryder rolled their eyes & shook their heads. They were all getting annoyed with Faith's behaviour.

"I'm losing sympathy for her. All she's doing is acting like an attention seeking brat. Faith is easily 1 of the most thick-headed people I've ever met" said Elias with frustration in his voice.

"I'll say. Sooner or later I swear I'm going to end up slapping her in the face" said Kelly.

"Let's stop thinking about her. I'd much rather enjoy a nice game of tetherball than think about Faith" said Ryder as Elias, Kelly & himself continued playing. They spent the rest of recess playing tetherball together while trying to avoid thinking about Faith. Throughout the next 2 periods Ryder did everything he could to focus on his work, but he knew that Faith would likely try to guilt trip him again at lunch.

" _I know for a fact that Faith will approach me at lunch. I'm not changing my mind about how I feel about her. It's her problem not mine. I don't know how long this madness will last but I'm not going to let it get the best of me"_ thought Ryder as he continued doing his work. The dread he felt about Faith got worse as time went by. As soon as lunch came around he felt a bit sick to his stomach.

" _I feel like I'm about to throw up. Hopefully a good meal will get rid of the feeling. Maybe it'll help me prepare for Faith's antics. It's important that I stay at least 1 step ahead of her. As long as I do everything will be fine"_ thought Ryder as he grabbed his lunch & sat with his friends. They all knew about Faith's behaviour & were determined to stick by Ryder throughout it all.

"How are you feeling right now Ryder?" asked Ace in a curious voice.

"I feel OK. Other than the situation with Faith I feel fine" said Ryder in a reassuring voice.

"I'm glad to hear that. I think it's ridiculous that she's trying to pity you into dating her. She obviously doesn't understand how love works" said Carlos as he sighed in frustration.

"I'll say. Just as long as it doesn't end up going as bad as the situations with Burton & Melrose I'm not too concerned" said Ryder.

"That'd be awful. Nothing would make us feel worse than having to deal with a dangerous psycho" said Danny.

"Prior to yesterday Faith was just a normal girl but over the last 24 hours she's evolved into a lovesick & obsessive fanatic. I don't know how she changed so quickly" said Ryder in an uncertain voice.

"I bet she's always been like that but until now she was keeping it hidden from everyone else" said Katie.

"Maybe. Ultimately you never know exactly what goes on in someone else's head" said Ryder as he sighed in uncertainty.

"True. Here she comes now" said Mayabella as everyone saw Faith approach. Ryder groaned in annoyance. He was sick of Faith's constant attempts to manipulate him into loving her.

"Hi Ryder. You look hungry. Would you like me to feed you?" asked Faith in a sweet voice.

"No. Leave me alone" said Ryder in a blunt tone.

"Cheer up honey cake. I'm trying to take good care of you" said Faith.

"He's not your honey cake. Stop wasting your time. Ryder will never fall in love with you" said Elias as he sneered at Faith.

"That's what you think. I'll win his heart 1 way or another. I promise you that" said Faith in a confident voice.

"I'd like to see you try. He loves you not" said Kelly as she gave Faith a harsh glare.

"Whatever. Let's feed each other lunch babe. It'll strengthen our bond" said Faith as she smiled eagerly.

"No. Get out of here Faith" said Ryder as he growled in anger. Faith frowned as she turned to walk away.

"Fine. I'll just go & choke on my own food. Don't worry about me" said Faith as she left. Everyone huffed in frustration. Faith's annoying behaviour was driving them crazy.

"I'm getting really fed up with that girl. I want to punch her" said Ace with anger in her voice.

"I think we all do. I refuse to feel sorry for her anymore. She's just acting up on purpose" said Carlos as he shook his head.

"Guilt tripping Ryder isn't going to do her any good. All it's doing is pushing him further away" said Danny in an annoyed tone.

"What should we do? I have no idea how to handle this" said Katie in a confused manner.

"It's best for us to ignore Faith. That'll get her off our backs" said Mayabella.

"Good idea. It's better than nothing" said Ryder as he & the others continued eating lunch. The remainder of the school day came & went as usual. After school Angel, Elias & Kelly headed to the Lookout. None of them knew if Faith would try & guilt trip Ryder again.

"Do you guys think Faith's going to spend all afternoon trying to get Ryder to pity her?" asked Angel.

"Maybe. If she does we'll just ignore her. Maybe that'll get the message through her thick head" said Elias.

"I suppose we'll find out soon enough" said Kelly as Angel, Elias & herself kept walking. Soon they arrived at the Lookout where Ryder & the pups were waiting.

"Hi pups. How was your day?" asked Angel as she smiled & wagged her tail excitedly.

"It's been OK. We heard about Faith's behaviour. What a joke she is" said Chase as he scowled.

"I'll say. The way things are going she's turning into another incarnation of Burton & Melrose" said Elias.

"I hope Faith doesn't become unhinged like them. I have no idea what she'd do if she went of the deep end" said Marshall as a chill ran down his spine.

"Right now, I think she's a low risk of danger. She hasn't displayed any dangerous behaviour so far" said Kelly in a reassuring voice.

"Good. If she even dares to lay a finger on Ryder, I'll rip her face off" said Rocky with a growl.

"There's no way I'm letting her get near me like that. Let's forget about her. What do you want to do this afternoon?" asked Ryder.

"Let's stay here. That way Faith won't be able to bother us" said Rubble.

"Good idea. We can have all the fun we want here at the Lookout" said Skye as she performed a back flip.

"Let's play Pup, Pup Boogie. That'll brighten up the day" said Zuma in an excited voice. Everyone went inside & set up Pup, Pup Boogie before they began to play. Although there were only 2 dance pads everyone still danced along anyways. It made them all feel like they were part of a pop group dancing together & having a great time. At numerous points Ryder kept getting calls from Faith on his Pup Pad but he ignored the calls not wanting to think about her. At 1-point Faith came to the Lookout & tried to enter only to find the doors locked. She knocked to try & get everyone's attention, but they ignored her. After a few minutes she decide to climb up the slide, but it was too slippery for her to ascend.

"Fine. If that's how Ryder wants it, I'll leave. Looks like I'm going on to phase 2 of my plan" said Faith as she huffed in frustration & went home. It was getting late & Angel, Elias & Kelly headed home not long after Faith left. Faith spent the evening planning out phase 2 of her scheme to win Ryder over. It was much more extreme than her guilt tripping attempts.

" _Tomorrow phase 2 will come into effect. Once it does Ryder will be mine for sure. There's no way he'll reject me after he sees what I have in store for him. I better get some rest. Tomorrow's going to be a big day"_ thought Faith as she got in bed. As she went to sleep she thought about how the 2ND phase of her plan was much more effective & the impact it'd make on Ryder.


	3. Chapter 3: Faith's Cruel Blackmail

On Wednesday morning Faith woke up with a smile. She was ready to put phase 2 of her plan into motion.

" _Phase 2 should be able to go down like clockwork. Ryder would be a fool to reject me after this. I wish he didn't have to make winning his heart so hard. Today will hopefully be the day he realises that he truly loves me"_ thought Faith as she got out of bed & changed into her normal attire. She then grabbed her phone & checked her camera roll. Moments later she found the image she was looking for. The previous day after before going to bed Faith had staged a photo of Ryder with another boy. She made it look like Ryder & the boy were in a compromising & sexually suggestive position as if they were in love. Once she found the image she proceeded to post it on social media. She was hoping that it'd make Ryder fall in love with her so that the picture would be debunked.

" _This is perfect. The only way Ryder can prove that the photo is a fake is if he starts dating me. My plan is flawless. Soon me & him will be a happy couple"_ thought Faith as she smiled excitedly & went to eat breakfast. She decided to have some cornflakes. They tasted corny & wheaty with a crunchy texture that Faith enjoyed. As soon as she finished eating she headed to school. She couldn't wait to have Ryder to herself.

" _My 1 true love is calling my name. I feel like a Disney princess that's about to find her prince charming & live happily ever after. What a great day to fall in love"_ thought Faith as she walked to school while smiling eagerly. Every step she took made her feel even more excited as she got closer to school. As soon as she arrived she went straight inside & grabbed her stuff for 1ST period. Ryder had gone to his locker to do the same & just as he retrieved what he needed for class he was approached by Alex, Julius, Justina & Precious' Owner. They were all curious about the photo they thought Ryder had taken.

"Hey guys. How are you?" asked Ryder with a warm smile.

"We're good. I didn't know you liked boys Ryder" said Alex in a curious voice.

"What do you mean Alex?" asked Ryder as he tilted his head in confusion.

"We saw the picture you posted online. You & your boyfriend must really love each other" said Julius as he smiled naively.

"What photo are you referring to? I didn't take a photo & I don't have a boyfriend" said Ryder as he raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"You don't have to feel ashamed Ryder. We still think you're the coolest kid in school" said Justina in a reassuring voice.

"Can you show me what picture you're talking about? I have no idea what's going on" said Ryder.

"Here it is" said Precious' Owner as she found the picture & showed it to Ryder. Ryder gasped in horror at what he saw. The photo depicted him & the other boy supposedly engaging in a lewd act. A sick feeling entered Ryder's stomach as he tried to think about how that photo had gotten online.

"Excuse me guys. I need some space" said Ryder as he walked off feeling embarrassed. The fact that someone had posted that image online for everyone to see made Ryder extremely upset. He went to the restrooms & locked himself in a stall as he curled up in a fetal position & cried.

" _I can't believe this is happening. I'd never post a photo like that online. I bet Faith did this. It's probably another attempt at blackmailing me into becoming her boyfriend. Why is she doing this to me? I want her to just leave me alone. I'm scared of how everyone will react. I hope they don't get the wrong idea. I feel like locking myself away & never showing my face around town again"_ thought Ryder as tears ran down his face. The photo had made him feel embarrassed, humiliated, hurt & violated amongst other emotions. After 10 minutes of crying & feeling embarrassed over the photo Ryder left the stall. He proceeded to wash his face to get rid of the tears, but his eyes were still red from how much he'd cried. Ryder stared into the mirror with an uncertain look on his face. He wasn't sure what to do.

" _I don't know how I'm going to fix this mess. Since Faith is the culprit I wouldn't be surprised if she'd take down the photo on the agreement I start dating her. I'm not giving her what she wants. I feel too embarrassed to tell any teachers & trying to debunk the photo & any rumours surrounding it will be extremely hard. I must think fast, or else things will be blown way out of proportion"_ thought Ryder as he left the bathroom. He looked down at the floor as he walked through the halls since he felt too embarrassed to look at anyone. Meanwhile Angel, Elias & Kelly were heading to class. They happened to cross paths with Ryder along the way & quickly noticed that something was wrong.

"Why is Ryder looking so down?" asked Angel as she tilted her head in confusion.

"I don't know. Something happened" said Elias in a concerned voice.

"We better ask him about it" said Kelly as Angel, Elias & herself walked over to Ryder.

"Ryder are you OK?" asked Angel with uncertainty in her voice.

"No. I don't really want to talk about it" said Ryder in a shaky tone.

"I bet this has something to do with Faith. What did she do?" asked Elias as he clenched his fists in anger.

"Haven't you seen the photo?" asked Ryder in a nervous manner.

"What photo?" asked Kelly in a confused manner.

"Check social media. That'll answer your question" said Ryder.

Elias & Kelly grabbed their phones & checked social media to see what Ryder was talking about. As soon as they saw the photo they gasped in horror. Almost immediately they knew that Faith was the person who posted it online. Elias growled in anger. The fact that Faith had humiliated his best friend in such a cruel manner made him want to gouge Faith's eyes out. Kelly felt just as angry. She was disgusted by what Faith had done.

"She's gone too far. She doesn't even realise that what she did is illegal. When I see her, I'm going to make sure she knows exactly how I feel" said Elias as he sneered in disgust.

"Her face is begging to be punched in. Does she seriously think this I going to make Ryder fall in love with her? She's insane" said Kelly in an angry voice.

"What am I supposed to do? I have a feeling the only way Faith will debunk the photo is if I become her boyfriend. I feel way too embarrassed to tell any of the teachers" said Ryder as he shook in fear.

"Don't worry I'll talk to Faith later. It'll be OK Ryder. We're going to make sure she doesn't get away with this" said Elias as he gave Ryder a hug.

"How dare she humiliate you like this. There's going to be serious consequences for her actions. I promise we'll do everything we can to help" said Kelly in a reassuring voice.

"Thanks guys. I'm glad to have such great friends like you" said Ryder as he smiled at Elias & Kelly. Their support made him feel appreciated & loved by people who truly cared about him. Elias & Kelly escorted Ryder to class so that he wouldn't feel embarrassed before heading to their own class. Throughout the entire morning they couldn't stop thinking about how nasty Faith was to set Ryder up in such a cruel manner. Elias & Kelly were furious that Faith would stoop so low to blackmail Ryder into becoming her boyfriend. They planned to confront Faith the 1ST opportunity they got. Ryder did his best to not think about the incident, but it was hard for him to focus on his schoolwork with all the embarrassment he felt.

" _I feel like I'm going insane. This whole scandal is making me feel sick. It horrifies me that Faith thinks what she did was OK because it wasn't. She wouldn't like it if I posted a sexually explicit photo of her & another girl online. She has no idea how I feel right now. By the end of the day I don't think anyone will feel sorry for her because I didn't reciprocate her feelings. What goes around comes around & sooner or later Faith will get the punishment she truly deserves"_ thought Ryder as he tried to think of how to block out any thoughts of the incident & focus on his work. Eventually recess came around. Angel, Elias, Kelly & Ryder looked for Faith in the playground as soon as they got there. It took less than a minute for them to find her playing on the swingset. All of them angrily walked over to Faith demanding answers from her.

"What the hell is your problem Faith? What's wrong with you?" asked Angel as she glared angrily at Faith.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Angel" said Faith in a confused voice.

"Yes, you do. That little stunt you pulled this morning was extremely inappropriate. Are you even aware that you could go to jail for that?" asked Elias in a furious voice.

"I haven't broken any laws. You're just ganging up on me for no reason" said Faith in a defensive tone.

"You distributed child pornography even if what happened in that photo wasn't real. That's a serious offence. Stop acting so innocent & confess. We all know Ryder wouldn't post a photo like that online for everyone to see" said Kelly as she growled in anger.

"Leave me alone. It's not my fault Ryder doesn't love me. He shouldn't feel the need to hide the truth about his sexual orientation" said Faith.

"ENOUGH. THOSE RUMOURS ARE FALSE. THIS IS ALL PART OF YOUR SICK TWISTED PLAN TO MANIPULATE ME INTO FALLING IN LOVE WITH YOU. IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK. I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH YOU FAITH. YOU'RE A PSYCHO" yelled Ryder as he stormed off in tears. Angel, Elias & Kelly glared angrily at Faith before going to make sure that Ryder was OK.

"I don't know what's worse: The fact that Faith broke the law by posting that photo online or the fact that she's trying to make it look like it's Ryder's fault. This is easily the nastiest thing anyone's ever done to him" said Angel as she scowled in disgust.

"I'll say. Faith thinks we don't know the truth, but we do. Soon everyone will see her for the conniving, manipulative witch she really is" said Elias as he clenched his fists in anger.

"Hopefully she gets expelled & thrown in jail. That's what she deserves. Karma's going to bite her in the ass sooner or later" said Kelly as Angel, Elias & Kelly continued looking for Ryder. They eventually found him hiding in the restrooms having heard his cries. Angel & Kelly remained by the bathroom door as Elias went into the restrooms. Ryder had locked himself in 1 the stalls & was crying his eyes out.

"WHY WOULD SHE DO THAT TO ME? I DON'T DESERVE THIS. I WISH I COULD JUST DISAPPEAR" cried Ryder as tears ran down his face.

"Ryder, I promise you that Faith will be punished for what she did. We'll make sure of it" said Elias in a reassuring voice.

"I'VE NEVER FELT SO HUMILIATED BEFORE IN MY LIFE. I WANT TO DIE. IT HURTS TOO MUCH" cried Ryder.

"Don't you dare think like that Ryder. Imagine all the hurt you'd cause if you committed suicide. Everyone in this town loves you. We've all got your back. Everyone's going to stick by you throughout this entire ordeal" said Elias as he began to tear up. Ryder continued to cry while screaming in agony. The embarrassment & humiliation was starting to overwhelm him. Elias sat by the door to the stall Ryder was in & burst into tears. His heart was aching in sorrow for Ryder.

" _I feel so bad for Ryder. It breaks my heart to see him like this. He's a truly wonderful person & doesn't deserve to be subjected to such nasty behaviour. Once everyone in town finds out the truth they'll be livid. Faith is a nasty piece of work. 1 way or another she will be exposed for her appalling antics. She's not getting away with this"_ thought Elias as he wiped away his tears. He waited patiently for Ryder to calm down so that the situation didn't escalate any further. 10 minutes later Ryder emerged from the stall. His face was stained with tears & his eyes were red from all the crying.

"I want to go home. If I stay here I'll only feel worse" said Ryder in a shaky tone.

"Come here buddy" said Elias as he gave Ryder a hug. Ryder felt both happy & sad. He was sad that Faith was putting him through so much psychological trauma, but he was happy that Angel, Elias, Kelly & the others were being supportive in their attempt to help Ryder deal with the situation. Elias & Ryder then left the bathroom. Angel & Kelly gave them a hug knowing that they were both deeply troubled by the incident.

"What do we do now?" asked Angel with uncertainty in his voice.

"Ryder wants to go home. I think it's for the best. That way Faith won't bother him anymore" said Elias.

"Good point. Want us to go with you Ryder?" asked Kelly in a soothing tone.

"No thanks. I should be able to get permission to leave by myself. See you guys later" said Ryder as he headed to the administration office to ask for permission to leave. The bell then rang to signal the beginning of 3RD period. Angel, Elias & Kelly headed to their lockers to grab their stuff for class. While they did they planned to reveal the truth to everyone in class.

"Everyone needs to know the truth about what's going on. It's important that they know how deeply affected Ryder is by this incident" said Angel.

"Agreed. If we don't let people know about the truth the rumours will only get worse" said Elias with concern in his voice.

"Faith is about to get the biggest serving of fumble pie ever" said Kelly as Angel, Elias & herself headed to class. Once they arrived & were let in they stood at the front of the class. Everyone was confused about why they weren't at their desks.

"Why are you 3 standing up?" asked Miss Spearwood in a confused tone.

"We have to address the class about a serious issue regarding an incident from earlier today" said Angel.

"Oh OK. Don't take too long" said Miss Spearwood.

"We won't. I'm not sure if everyone is aware of this or not but there's a photo on social media that supposedly shows Ryder & another boy engaging in lewd acts. Ryder didn't post that photo. He'd never do anything that crazy. That photo has led to rumours that he's gay. Those rumours are false. I fully support people who identify as LGBT but ultimately Ryder has become extremely upset that someone would do something so cruel to him. All day he's felt embarrassed, humiliated, hurt & violated by the photo. The photo was more than likely staged by the culprit. Who is the culprit? Simple: Faith Myerson" said Elias as he glared at Faith. Everyone gasped in horror as they turned to look at Faith. They were all shocked at what she did.

"They're lying. All day they've done nothing but come after me. I don't know what they're trying to achieve. I'm innocent" said Faith in a panicked voice.

"Save yourself the trouble & confess Faith. We're not stupid. We know it was you. For the last 2 days you've done nothing but blackmail Ryder into falling in love with you because he rejected you on Monday. You're the only person we know who has a motive to do something like this. You thought that the truth wouldn't come out & that you'd get away with this but you're wrong. Very soon you will be punished for your behaviour" said Kelly as she scowled at Faith.

"I refuse to be intimidated like this. If that's how you're going to be then fine. I'm not going to sit here & get attacked for doing nothing" said Faith as she got up & stormed out of the room. Angel, Elias & Kelly shook their heads & rolled their eyes. Faith's reaction only strengthened their claims.

"Speaking of Ryder, where is he?" asked Miss Spearwood.

"He went home because of the scandal created by the photo. It overwhelmed him" said Elias.

"OK. Now that you've gotten that off your chest you may take your seats. For today's lesson I'd like you all to write a short story about a medieval knight that tries to save a princess. You'll have the entire lesson to get it done" said Miss Spearwood.

All the students began writing their stories in their books. Elias & Kelly struggled to focus since the issue with Faith was still playing on their minds. Nonetheless they did their best to get their work done. Throughout the next 2 periods there was an awkward vibe in the air. The truth about what Faith did quickly spread around school & soon everyone knew the truth. At lunch Elias & Kelly discussed the incident with their friends.

"I hope Ryder's doing OK. Now that everyone in school knows the truth Faith's going to regret what she did" said Elias as he growled in anger.

"I don't feel sorry for her anymore. She doesn't deserve any sympathy after everything she's done over the last 2 days" said Ace in a blunt manner.

"I bet the pups know the truth as well. It's only a matter of time before everyone in town learns about Faith's wicked ways" said Carlos.

"She might get expelled & possibly arrested for what she did. Serves her right for making such a stupid decision" said Kelly as she scowled in disgust.

"I'll say. What was she thinking?" asked Danny with confusion in his voice.

"She probably wasn't thinking at all. I can't believe she's trying to deny everything she did. That's how remorseless she is" said Katie in an angry tone.

"No matter what she does Ryder's not going to fall in love with her. She might as well give up while she still can" said Mayabella as she & the others continued eating. Soon Faith entered the cafeteria. Everyone started booing & jeering at her. They were all disgusted with her.

"SERIOUSLY? STOP BELIEVING ALL THESE STUPID LIES BEING MADE UP ABOUT ME. I SWEAR YOU'RE ALL OUT TO GET ME" yelled Faith at the top of her lungs.

"What's wrong Faith? Are you upset because everyone knows the truth?" asked Elias in a mocking tone.

"ALL I WANT IS TO BE RYDER'S GIRLFRIEND. YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP US APART" yelled Faith.

"More like we're calling you out on your BS. You made a huge mistake putting that picture online" said Kelly as she glared angrily at Faith.

"I'M GOING TO GET YOU" yelled Faith as she stormed over to where Elias & Kelly were sitting. All the students began throwing food on Faith while continuing to taunt her. Faith screamed like a banshee as she began jumping up & down in anger.

"LEAVE ME ALONE" yelled Faith as she continued jumping up & down. Principal Summers then entered the cafeteria.

"Faith Myerson I'd like to speak to you in my office" said Principal Summers in a blunt voice.

"This isn't over. You haven't seen the last of me" said Faith as she headed to Principal Summers' office. Everyone was glad that she'd be disciplined.

"I think it's safe to say she's getting expelled" said Elias as he smiled in satisfaction.

"More than likely. Good riddance to her. I'm not going to miss her at all" said Kelly in a satisfied tone. Soon last period came around. Everyone got on with their schoolwork while thinking about how satisfying it was that Faith had been caught for her cruelty to Ryder. After school Angel, Elias & Kelly headed to the Lookout. They were all hoping that Ryder was feeling better.

"Ryder will be pleased to know that Faith has been brought to justice. Now he'll be able to go about business as usual without feeling scared since the rumours have been debunked" said Angel in a hopeful tone.

"Do you guys think Faith has been taken into custody for the sickening crime she committed?" asked Elias in a curious voice.

"Probably. What she did was illegal & she deserves to be locked up. That'll reduce the risk of her doing anything else" said Kelly.

Angel, Elias & Kelly soon arrived at the Lookout. When they arrived, they noticed a note on the front door.

 _To anyone who comes by_

 _I'm having a day off from everything. The lewd photo controversy has made me feel extremely hurt & sad. I apologise for any inconveniences this causes. Tomorrow I'll be able to resume my duties. _

_Yours Truly, Ryder_

"Looks like it's affected Ryder really bad" said Angel as she whimpered sadly.

"I'm sure the pups know about happened since Ryder more than likely told them. I think we should give him some space so that he can take it easy" said Elias.

"Good idea. Let's go home" said Kelly as Angel, Elias & herself headed home. Meanwhile Faith had returned home furious. She'd been expelled from school for posting the lewd photo on social media & had been warned that if she continued mistreating Ryder she'd be arrested. Faith went straight to her room & began throwing things around while screaming in anger.

"IT'S NOT FAIR. THIS IS ALL ELIAS & KELLY'S FAULT. THEY STOPPED ME FROM HAVING A RELATIONSHIP WITH RYDER. I'M GOING TO MAKE THEM PAY" yelled Faith as she continued throwing a tantrum. 15 minutes later she collapsed on her bed in tears. Her room was in complete disarray from everything she'd thrown around. She spent an hour crying on her bed feeling angry, hurt & sad.

" _What did I do to deserve this? If Ryder hadn't rejected me this wouldn't have happened. This is all just as much his fault as it is Elias & Kelly's. If they think it's over they're wrong. Tomorrow I'll make them wish they never crossed me. Hell, hath no fury, like a woman scorned"_ thought Faith as she got off her bed & began planning out her next scheme. For the rest of the day she remained in her room plotting her revenge. Once she finished planning everything out she decided to go to bed. As she drifted off to sleep she thought about how satisfying it'd be to make Elias, Kelly & Ryder pay for ruining her plans.


	4. Chapter 4: Back To Normal Or Is It?

When Ryder woke up on Thursday morning he was still feeling a bit upset over the events of the previous day. He wasn't sure if the situation had been dealt with or whether Faith had been punished or not.

" _Unless Faith has been punished for her behaviour I'm not going to school. She doesn't understand the embarrassment I feel. I fail to see how she thinks what she's doing is going to make me fall in love with her. I hope she gets arrested. She broke the law by putting that photo online since it's child pornography. No matter what she does she'll never be my girlfriend"_ thought Ryder as he got dressed & went to eat breakfast. He had some apple & cinnamon flavoured porridge that had a creamy & smooth texture & tasted delightful. After finishing breakfast & rinsing out the dirty dishes he got a call from Elias.

"Hi Ryder. How are you feeling today?" asked Elias in a sympathetic voice.

"I suppose I feel better than yesterday. I'm sick of Faith's blackmail. She went too far yesterday. Do you know if she was punished for what she did?" asked Ryder in an uncertain tone.

"Yes. She was expelled from school & told not to have any further contact with you or else she'd be arrested & taken into custody. Principal Summers tried to reach you yesterday, but she said that you never answered her calls. Angel, myself & Kelly did come around but when we saw the note you left we decided to let you have some space. Principal Summers called me & asked to pass on the info on Faith. She's also doing everything she can to have that photo taken down. Apparently, Faith refused to do it herself so Principal Summers is sorting it out" said Elias.

"Excellent. I'm glad to hear that. I now feel even better. Was anyone fooled into believing the rumours about the photo?" asked Ryder in a curious manner.

"No. We exposed Faith yesterday after you went home. She denied having any involvement in it, but nobody believed her. Everyone in school knows the truth. You won't have to worry about the rumours anymore" said Elias with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks. See you at school" said Ryder as he gave Elias a warm smile.

"I will. Bye" said Elias as he hung up. Ryder felt happy knowing that the photo scandal had blown over. It was a relief to know that Faith had been punished as well.

" _What a great start to the day. Now that Faith is no longer at school I don't have to worry about her. Hopefully now I'll be able to go about my business without having to deal with Faith's antics. I hope this day gets better"_ thought Ryder as he went to fill the pups' food & water bowls. After doing so he took the note on the front door down & headed to school. He was smiling in relief the whole time. It was like he'd been freed from the prison in his mind that had consumed him over the last few days. As soon as he got to school he went straight inside & went to his locker to grab his stuff for 1ST period. Angel, Elias & Kelly happened to walk by & when they saw Ryder they all smiled.

"Hi Ryder. Good to see you. We're glad you're feeling better" said Angel in a cheerful voice.

"Thanks. How are you this morning?" asked Ryder.

"We're feeling good. I hope today goes over well" said Elias as he gave Ryder a hug.

"Me too. Thanks for being there for me throughout this incident. It really means a lot" said Ryder as he smiled in appreciation.

"You're welcome. No matter what we'll always be on your side. Never forget that" said Kelly.

"I won't. Anyways we better get to class. We don't want to be late" said Ryder.

Angel, Elias, Kelly & Ryder proceeded to head to class. Meanwhile Faith was at home. She was setting up everything she needed for the next phase of her plan. After heading down into the basement, she placed 3 chairs side by side & placed rope on them. Once that was done she retrieved some gags, needles, pins, knives & a wooden mallet which she placed on a table near where the chairs & rope had been placed.

"There's no way Ryder will reject me after the next phase of my plan is set into motion. Once I have Elias, Kelly & Ryder tied up on those chairs they'll all be at my mercy. Soon I'll finally get what I want" said Faith as she laughed maniacally while leaving the basement. She planned on subduing Elias, Kelly & Ryder with tranquilliser darts so that there'd be no chance of them fighting back while she held them captive. Faith planned on waiting until that afternoon or evening to make her move. Throughout the rest of the day she decided to do whatever she wanted. Back at school everything was business as usual. Nothing unusual had happened which was a relief considering the crazy week it'd been so far. At recess Elias, Kelly & Ryder played tetherball together while discussing what they thought Faith was up to.

"What do you guys think Faith is doing right now?" asked Elias as he hit the ball in a clockwise direction.

"I don't know. There's a chance she might be planning something else to get Ryder to become her boyfriend but no matter what it is it's not going to work" said Kelly as she hit the ball in an anti-clockwise direction.

"Considering the fact that she'll be taken to jail or juvenile detention if she tries anything I bet she's probably at home sulking about how things aren't going her way" said Ryder as he hit the ball back in a clockwise direction.

"I hope that's what she's actually doing. I don't feel sorry for her at all" said Elias.

"I don't think anyone does" said Kelly.

"Anyways let's stop thinking about her. I'd much rather move on from all this" said Ryder.

Elias, Kelly & Ryder continued playing tetherball together unaware of Faith's plan. Faith had loaded a tranquilliser gun with enough bullets to take down Elias, Kelly, Ryder & anyone else who might ruin her plan. The idea was that Faith planned to make her move that afternoon when Elias, Kelly & Ryder were vulnerable.

"Soon I shall have everything in place. I can't wait for the afternoon to roll around. Once it does I'll have Elias, Kelly & Ryder right where I want them. This plan couldn't possibly fail" said Faith as she finished loading the tranquilliser gun. She then set it down on a stand by the front door so that she'd be able to grab it & go. After setting it down she went & watched some TV. The next few hours were uneventful for everyone. Soon lunch rolled around. Elias, Kelly & Ryder sat with their friends discussing how glad they were that everything had been going well throughout the day.

"It's a relief to know that Faith isn't bothering anyone now. Today's been much better than the last 2 days" said Elias in a relieved voice.

"Agreed. Faith got what she deserved. I think she should've gone to jail or juvenile detention for what she did" said Ace.

"Me too. How she hasn't been taken there yet is a mystery" said Kelly in a surprised tone.

"I don't think she's done trying to win Ryder over. Something tells me she's up to no good" said Carlos in a nervous manner.

"Don't worry I'll make sure she doesn't do anything else that gets too extreme. Everything should be fine" said Ryder in a reassuring voice.

"I hope so. The last thing anyone wants is for her to hurt you even more than she already has" said Danny as he sighed in uncertainty.

"I wanted to punch her in the face. If she posted a picture of me online to a similar nature of the 1 she staged I would've beaten her so badly she'd be in the hospital for months" said Katie as she scowled in disgust.

"I'm just glad that everyone knows the truth. Faith was stupid to think that she could pull the wool over our eyes. We're much smarter than that" said Mayabella.

"We sure are" said Elias.

Everyone continued eating their lunch. The remainder of the school day went by without anything going wrong. That afternoon after school finished Angel, Elias & Kelly headed to the Lookout as usual. Faith followed them unnoticed with the tranquilliser gun.

"What a great day it's been. After what happened over the last 2 days I'm glad things have returned to normal" said Angel in an optimistic tone.

"Me too. Hopefully tomorrow's just as good" said Elias.

"I'm sure it will be. It's safe to say that Faith is no longer a problem" said Kelly as Faith quietly snuck up from behind. As soon as she got close enough she fired 3 darts. Angel, Elias & Kelly were each hit with 1 dart & almost instantly they were rendered unconscious.

"Perfect. Now to get the 2 lovebirds to my dungeon" said Faith as she dragged Elias & Kelly to her house. As soon as she arrived she took them down into the basement, placed them on 2 of the chairs & tied them up to prevent them from escaping.

"Now to get Ryder" said Faith as she left her house & headed to the Lookout. She planned to subdue the pups before snatching Ryder since she knew it was way too risky for her to go after Ryder with the pups able to fight back. As soon as she got close she hid in a bush. The pups were all running around playing tag.

"I'm it. Here I come" said Chase as he ran around chasing the other pups.

"You'll never catch me" said Marshall as he ran by the bush Faith was in. Faith took the opportunity & shot Marshall causing him to fall unconscious. The other pups became confused when they noticed Marshall slumped on the ground.

"What's Marshall doing?" asked Rocky as he tilted his head in confusion.

"I don't know. Maybe he's trying to trick us into getting close to him so that he can tag us" said Rubble.

"He's not it though. Something's up" said Skye in a worried voice.

"Let's check on him & make sure he's OK" said Zuma as he & the other pups walked over to Marshall. They had no time to react when they were shot with tranquilliser darts & rendered unconscious. Faith then emerged from the bush & crept over to the Lookout.

"This is easier than taking candy from a baby. Ryder will never stand a chance of escaping. Soon he'll join the lovebirds in my dungeon" said Faith as she entered the Lookout & hid underneath the beanbags by the TV on ground floor. A few minutes later Ryder appeared exiting the elevator.

"I better check on the pups. I haven't heard them in a bit" said Ryder as he went to head outside. Faith got his attention by moving a beanbag slightly.

"What was that?" asked Ryder as he walked over to the beanbags. As he lifted the beanbags to see what was going on Faith shot him with a tranquilliser dart before he had the chance to react. After he fell to the floor unconscious Faith proceeded to drag him to her house where she tied him up on the 3RD chair. After doing so she went up to the lounge to watch TV satisfied that her plan was working.

"Thing's couldn't possibly get better. Tomorrow I'll finally win Ryder's heart. What a great day it'll be when I hear him say that he loves me" said Faith as she sat watching TV. Throughout the rest of the afternoon she sat on the couch watching TV. When dinner came around she fixed herself some instant noodles which she quickly gobbled down. They tasted beefy thanks to the beef flavouring & had a stringy texture that confirmed that they were done to perfection. After eating dinner Faith went & had a shower before changing into her pyjamas & getting in bed.

" _I can't wait for tomorrow. Finally, everything is starting to go my way. Elias, Kelly & Ryder can try all they want but they'll never escape while they're tied up in my dungeon. I'm in control & they're not. They're not going anywhere until I hear Ryder confess his love for me"_ thought Faith as she went to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5: Love Held Hostage

When Elias woke up on Friday morning he was shocked to find himself, Kelly & Ryder tied down to chairs. He attempted to wriggle free, but his bonds were too tight for him to escape from.

"Kelly, Ryder wake up" said Elias as Kelly & Ryder came to & realised what was happening.

"What's going on?" asked Kelly in a confused voice.

"I bet Faith did this. I'm not sure what she has planned but I have a feeling it's not going to be a fun experience" said Ryder.

"Finally, you 3 are awake" said Faith as she entered the basement.

"Let us go you psycho" said Elias in an angry tone.

"No can do. I'm keeping you here for as long as I want" said Faith with a sadistic smile.

"You're not going to get away with this. You will be brought to justice & locked up for your crimes" said Kelly as she glared angrily at Faith.

"I don't think so. Nobody other than myself knows that you're here. You 3 aren't going anywhere anytime soon" said Faith.

"I'll never be your boyfriend Faith. If you truly love me, you'll let me go" said Ryder in a blunt manner.

"That's not happening. You 3 have all been very naughty. Now I shall punish you for your misdeeds" said Faith as she grabbed the gags & tied them around Elias, Kelly & Ryder's mouths to drown out their cries & screams. She then took the pins & needles & began poking & prodding them. She pushed the pins & needles into their arms, legs, abdomens & navels causing them to cry out in pain. Faith laughed as Elias, Kelly & Ryder writhed in agony. Seeing them suffer was enjoyable.

"YOU'RE SO DEAD ONCE WE GET OUR HANDS ON YOU" yelled Elias through his gag.

"I'LL JAB THOSE NEEDLES RIGHT THROUGH YOUR EYES" yelled Kelly through her gag.

"I DON'T LOVE YOU FAITH. CUT IT OUT" yelled Ryder through his gag.

"Don't worry. The fun's just getting started" said Faith as she grabbed the knife. She then began slowly making cuts on Elias, Kelly & Ryder's arms which caused them to cry in pain again. Faith made sure not to cut them too deep & tried to avoid causing them to bleed too much. After she was done inflicting cuts on them she grabbed the mallet & smacked Elias, Kelly & Ryder across the face, on their hands & feet. The pain was excruciating but luckily the strikes weren't hard enough to break any bones or cause serious damage. Elias, Kelly & Ryder were now covered in bruises, bumps, cuts & scratches. No matter how hard they tried they couldn't break free. Having been satisfied with the "punishment" they'd received Faith used chloroform to render them unconscious before removing the gags so that they wouldn't asphyxiate.

"I'll let them rest for now. I'll come back later to continue the fun" said Faith as she chuckled before leaving the basement. She'd used enough chloroform to keep Elias, Kelly & Ryder unconscious for hours but not enough to cause any serious or fatal complications. As she went to make breakfast she thought about what else she could do to "punish" Elias, Kelly & Ryder.

" _There are so many other ways my subjects can be punished. I could bite, pinch, scratch, punch, kick, choke, burn, flick, scar & inflate them amongst other things. The possibilities are endless. They're not going anywhere until Ryder falls in love with me. My plan is perfect"_ thought Faith as she had some crunchy textured honey tasting cereal. After she finished eating she put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher before going to watch TV. Meanwhile at the Vincent-Walter mansion Ella, Ethan, Harry, Susie & Terry were trying to get in contact with Angel, Elias & Kelly. They hadn't seen them since the previous morning & were concerned that something bad had happened to them.

"Where could they be? Something's not right about this" said Ella in a scared voice.

"Do you guys think Faith Myerson is responsible for this?" asked Ethan in an uncertain tone.

"Maybe. Out of everyone in town she's the only person I can think of that has a motive to do harm to them" said Harry.

"That girl is going to be in so much trouble once we find out where she is & what she's doing. This has gone too far" said Susie as she sighed in frustration.

"I'll say. Hopefully the PAW Patrol will be able to help deal with Faith" said Terry as he & the adults continued trying to contact Angel, Elias & Kelly to no avail. At the Lookout all the pups regained consciousness. None of them had any idea what had happened the previous day.

"Do you guys remember what happened yesterday?" asked Chase as he tilted his head in confusion.

"No not really. It all happened so fast" said Marshall.

"I have a feeling Faith has something to do with this. I know she did something to Ryder" said Rocky as he scowled in disgust.

"We better check on Ryder to make sure he's OK" said Rubble with concern in his voice.

"Good idea. Where do you think he is?" asked Skye.

"Let's check the Lookout. If we can't find him, we'll search around town" said Zuma as he & the other pups went inside the Lookout. They looked in every room & called out for Ryder hoping they'd find him. Unfortunately, they didn't find him anywhere. Soon they regrouped in the observatory.

"I checked Ryder's bedroom, but he wasn't there" said Chase in a frustrated voice.

"I didn't see him in the bathroom" said Marshall as he sighed sadly.

"The kitchen was empty as well" said Rocky as he shook his head in uncertainty.

"Ryder wasn't in the lounge area either. This is weird" said Rubble with a sad whimper.

"Should we look around town for him?" asked Skye in a curious tone.

"Yes. Maybe someone in town saw him" said Zuma as he & the other pups deployed in their vehicles & began looking around town for any sign of Ryder. Meanwhile Angel had just regained consciousness & quickly noticed that Elias & Kelly were gone. She tried to contact them with her pup tag but there was no response.

"Oh no. I need to find them quick before it's too late" said Angel as she ran home, got in her pup house, converted it to vehicle mode & began driving around town looking for Elias & Kelly. It didn't take her long to meet up with the other pups & discover that Ryder was also missing. She then joined them in the search. Back at Faith's house Faith continued going around doing whatever she wanted while also looking for other things she could use to "punish" Elias, Kelly & Ryder.

"I bet there are heaps of things in this house that'll be of use to me. Let's see what I can find" said Faith as she checked her bedroom, the kitchen, laundry, bathroom, lounge, attic, backyard, closet & study for any tools she could use. The items she found included cigarette lighters, garden hoses, brass knuckles, string, fake sharp fingernails & branding irons. She then took everything she found into the basement & placed it on the table. Elias, Kelly & Ryder were all still unconscious from the chloroform. Faith smiled in satisfaction as she finished putting the new tools on the table before returning upstairs to watch TV.

" _Soon I'll have Ryder's heart. I don't care how long it'll take. He will be mine no matter what. Elias, Kelly & Ryder are only making things harder on themselves. The longer they struggle the more difficult it'll be on them. Ultimately my way is the only way"_ thought Faith as she continued watching TV. Over the next several hours the PAW Patrol continued their search through town. They checked everywhere they could think of & asked everyone they knew if they'd seen Elias, Kelly & Ryder anywhere. Unfortunately, their search turned up nothing.

"We've looked almost everywhere. I have no idea where Elias, Kelly & Ryder could be" said Angel as she sighed in frustration.

"Me either. Mayor Goodway & Mr Porter weren't of much help" said Chase in a sad voice.

"Neither were Nikita & the Turbot cousins. They hadn't noticed anything" said Marshall.

"I asked Farmer Al & Farmer Yumi, but they had no idea where Elias, Kelly & Ryder could be" said Rocky.

"I asked the Landon & Nolan families if they had any information, but they didn't" said Rubble as he whimpered in fear.

"I think the best bet is to try & find Faith's house. That's the most likely place they'd be" said Skye.

"Good thinking. Let's go" said Zuma as he & the other pups headed to the residential area of town trying to find Faith's house. By this point it was the middle of the afternoon. At Faith's house Faith returned to the basement where Elias, Kelly & Ryder had just regained consciousness.

"Finally, the fun can continue" said Faith as she smiled deviously.

"LET US GO" yelled Elias at the top of his lungs.

"No. I'm not letting you go until Ryder says that he loves me" said Faith in a blunt tone.

"That's never going to happen. Give up Faith" said Kelly as she rolled her eyes.

"I never give up. I'm surprised you haven't figured that out yet" said Faith.

"I have a confession. Faith I love you" said Ryder.

"WHAT?" cried Elias & Kelly as they looked at Ryder in disbelief.

"You do?" asked Faith as she gasped for joy.

"Yes. I only rejected you because I was nervous to admit the truth in front of everyone. If you let us all go, I'll give you a kiss & satisfy any desires you have" said Ryder.

Elias & Kelly were both shocked. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. Faith smiled eagerly as she proceeded to untie Ryder.

"I've been waiting for this moment all my life. Finally, I get what I want" said Faith as she gave Ryder a hug.

"Let's make our 1ST kiss even more special. Close your eyes" said Ryder as he smiled at Faith.

"Anything for you babe" said Faith as she closed her eyes & puckered her lips. Ryder snuck over to the table & grabbed the mallet before creeping up behind Faith. As she waited for what she thought was a kiss Ryder swung the mallet & cracked Faith straight over the head with it. The force of the blow was so strong it knocked Faith unconscious. Ryder then proceeded to untie Elias & Kelly.

"Are you guys OK?" asked Ryder with uncertainty in his voice.

"We are thanks to you. That was awesome. I didn't see that coming at all" said Elias as he smiled in amazement.

"I had a feeling Faith would only let us go once I "fell in love" with her. Looks like her little plan just came crashing down" said Ryder in a confident manner.

"We better make sure she doesn't get away" said Kelly as Elias, herself & Ryder placed Faith on 1 of the chairs & tied her up. They then exited the basement & went out to the front yard. The pups happened to be driving by at that point & they became ecstatic upon seeing Elias, Kelly & Ryder nearby.

"YAY THEY'RE OK" cried the pups as they parked on Faith's driveway before jumping out & running over to Elias, Kelly & Ryder. They hugged & nuzzled each other glad that they were all finally reunited.

"What happened to Faith?" asked Angel in a curious voice.

"She's in the basement. Ryder tricked her into releasing us" said Elias with a satisfied smile.

"I think we should call the police. Faith needs to be locked up" said Kelly.

"I'm on it" said Ryder as he used his Pup Pad to contact the police. He gave details about Faith, what she had done & where she lived. 15 minutes later the police arrived & went inside where they found Faith tied down to 1 of the chairs. Faith woke up just as they found her.

"WHAT THE HELL? WHAT'S GOING ON?" cried Faith as she tried to break her bonds.

"Faith Myerson you're under arrest for assault with deadly weapons, distribution of child pornography & kidnapping" said 1 of the police officers as Faith was untied & handcuffed. She was then taken to the police car out the front crying & screaming hysterically before being taken away. Because of the severity of her charges she faced a lengthy prison sentence & even got put on the Sex Offender Registry regarding the photo of Ryder she posted online. Elias, Kelly & Ryder all breathed a sigh of relief as they watched Faith get taken into custody. They were glad she finally got what she truly deserved.

"Good riddance to that psycho. I hope she never comes back here again" said Elias.

"Me too. That girl has serious issues. She can spend the rest of her life crying about not getting Ryder to fall in love with her" said Kelly.

"Let's get out of here" said Ryder as he & the others left Faith's house. Angel, Elias & Kelly headed straight home knowing that Terry & their parents would be freaking out about their absence.

"Everyone will be glad to know that Faith has finally been brought to justice" said Angel as she smiled in satisfaction.

"Agreed. Ryder was smart tricking Faith like that. Her love for Ryder proved to be her undoing" said Elias as he laughed at the irony of the situation.

"That conniving lunatic better not ever come back. If she does I'll make sure to put her through everything she put us through" said Kelly.

Angel, Elias & Kelly soon arrived home. Ella, Ethan, Harry, Susie & Terry ran over to them & gave them a hug as they burst into tears of joy.

"We're so glad you guys are OK. What happened to you?" asked Ella as tears ran down her face.

"Faith kidnapped Elias, Kelly & Ryder. She held them hostage in her basement where she tortured them with all kinds of tools hoping to get Ryder to fall in love with her. Ryder tricked her into freeing us & she got arrested" said Angel.

"What about you Angel? Where were you?" asked Ethan in a confused voice.

"She was left at the area where Faith abducted us. She joined the pups in searching through town for us. They only found us just as we escaped" said Elias.

"You're not hurt that badly, are you?" asked Harry with concern in his voice.

"No. Other than the bruises, bumps, cuts & scratches we're fine" said Kelly in a reassuring tone.

"I'm glad to hear that. It's good to have you back here with us" said Susie as she smiled happily.

"Indeed. We better get you guys cleaned up" said Terry.

Angel, Elias & Kelly had their injuries tended to. Band aids were placed over the cuts & scratches & they were given ice packs for the bruises & bumps. Because of what happened they could stay home for the rest of the day. At the Lookout Ryder was inspected by Marshall for injuries. Just like Elias & Kelly he was given band aids & ice packs to tend to his wounds.

"We're so glad to have you back Ryder. We were all scared about what might've happened to you" said Chase as he nuzzled Ryder.

"Thanks Chase. Faith's love for me was less of a strength & more of a weakness. By using that to my advantage I was able to save Elias, Kelly & myself as well as having Faith taken away" said Ryder as he hugged the pups.

"You guys are lucky she didn't hurt you worse than she did. If she had you'd all be hospitalised" said Marshall.

"At least now they're now all OK. This is what I truly call a happy ending" said Rocky as he smiled in satisfaction.

"Indeed. Who needs a boyfriend or girlfriend to have a happy ending? Faith obviously failed to realise that" said Rubble as he chuckled.

"I'm sure you'll find your 1 true love someday Ryder. Whoever they are I bet they'll make you happy" said Skye with an encouraging smile.

"Agreed. However long it takes you'll find the right person eventually" said Zuma.

"Thanks pups. I appreciate the support" said Ryder as he petted the pups. He was glad that they were all together again & that Faith was no longer an issue. Throughout the remainder of the day Ryder took it easy. The injuries he sustained weren't serious, but they made him feel sore, so he decided to rest to recover quicker. The pups went about the rest of the day playing together as they usually would. They played tag, Pup, Pup Boogie, hide & seek & tug of war. Eventually it was dinner time. Ryder filled the pups' food & water bowls before fixing himself some chicken breast with steamed vegetables which he happily gobbled down. After dinner Ryder decided to turn in for the night. When he showered he made sure to be careful not to irritate any of his injuries. After a refreshing shower he changed into his pyjamas & got into bed.

" _I'm so glad this whole issue with Faith is over. I never would've expected rejecting a crush would lead to this. I hope Faith has learned a lesson from all this. She can't force people to love her. If she'd realised that sooner things wouldn't have escalated to such an extreme level. Now that she's gone I can rest easy knowing I won't be bothered by an obsessed psycho crush"_ thought Ryder as he fell asleep.

 **THE END**


End file.
